New guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisnics Lilav’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisnics Lilav’, characterized by its outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; medium to tall growth habit; freely branching and freely flowering habit; large medium green-colored leaves; and large, rounded and light purple-colored flowers with white-colored centers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Impatiens hawkericultivar Fisnics Lilav.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fisnics Lilav’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany and Galder, Gran Canaria, Spain.The objective of the breeding program is to develop new medium-sizedImpatiens cultivars with an early to medium flowering response and largerounded flowers with attractive coloration.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor during the spring of 1999 of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivarDanharwt, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with theImpatiens hawkeri cultivar Dueripinkeye, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 11,320, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Fisnics Lilavwas discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant withinthe progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environmentin Galder, Gran Canaria, Spain in April, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken inGalder, Gran Canaria, Spain, since July, 2000, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fisnics Lilav’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Fisnics Lilav’ as a new and distinctImpatiens cultivar:

1. Outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; medium to tallgrowth habit.

2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.

3. Large, medium green-colored leaves.

4. Large, rounded and light purple-colored flowers with white-coloredcenters that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Danharwt. In side-by-side comparisons conducted bythe Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiensdiffered from plants of the cultivar Danharwt in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were larger than plants of the cultivarDanharwt.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of thecultivar Danharwt.

3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were light purple in colorwhereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Danharwt were white in color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Dueripinkeye. In side-by-side comparisons conductedby the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiensdiffered from plants of the cultivar Dueripinkeye in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Dueripinkeye differed inleaf and leaf venation coloration.

2. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were light purple in colorwhereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Dueripinkeye were white tovery pale light purple in color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Balcelilae, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,922. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid,Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of thecultivar Balcelilae in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were larger than plants of the cultivarBalcelilae.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger and deeper green-coloredleaves than plants of the cultivar Balcelilae.

3. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger and flatter flowers thanplants of the cultivar Balcelilae.

4. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were lighter in color thanplants of the cultivar Balcelilae.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Fisnics Lilav’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Fisnics Lilav has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Hillscheid, Germany, under commercialproduction practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Rooted young plantswere planted in 12-cm containers in late February and the aforementionedphotograph and following observations and measurements were taken about11 weeks later in early May. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures were about 18 to 22° C. and night temperatures were about16 to 18° C. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisnics Lilav.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Danharwt, not patented.

Male parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Dueripinkeye, disclosed in U.S.Plant Pat. No. 11,320.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 8 to 10 days at 24° C. Winter:About 12 to 15 days at 21° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 15 days at 24° C.Winter: About 18 to 20 days at 21° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fibrous, and freely branching; 158D incolor.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plantgrowth habit; medium to tall growth habit; freely branching habit, denseand bushy appearance; freely flowering. Moderately vigorous.

Crop time.—From a rooted cutting, about 9 to 10 weeks are required toproduce finished flowering plants in 12-cm containers.

Plant height.—About 20 to 25 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 40 to 45 cm.

Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: About 7 to 8. Length: About 20 to22 cm. Diameter: About 6 to 7 mm. Internode length: About 4.5 cm.Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A to 144B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Primarily in whorls. Length: About 15to 16 cm. Width: About 5 to 6 cm. Shape: Elliptic; relatively large.Apex: Acute to acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Serrulate with ciliation.Texture: Smooth, slightly rugose; glabrous. Color: Developing foliage,upper surface: 143A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 144A. Fullyexpanded foliage, upper surface: 137A to 137B. Fully expanded foliage,lower surface: 138B. Venation, upper surface: 145A. Venation, lowersurface: 145B. Petiole: Length: About 1.5 to 2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: 145B. Color, lowersurface: 145A.

Flower description:

Flower type and flowering habit.—Single, large, rounded, and lightpurple-colored flowers with white-colored centers. Freely andcontinuously flowering; usually about 6 to 8 flowers and flower buds perlateral branch. Flowers positioned above and beyond the foliage; flowerstypically face parallel to the leaf canopy. Petals not persistent;gynoecium persistent. Flowers not fragrant.

Flower longevity.—Flowers last about 8 to 9 days on the plant.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. Plants beginflowering about 9 weeks after planting.

Flower buds.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 cm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 75B.

Flower length.—About 7.6 to 782 cm.

Flower width.—About 7.8 to 8 cm.

Flower depth.—About 5 to 10 mm.

Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower, imbricate. Length: Banner petals:About 3.2 cm. Lateral and base petals: About 3.5 to 3.8 cm. Width:Banner petal: About 5.6 cm. Lateral petals: About 3.3 cm. Basal petals:About 4.8 to 5 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Distinctly lobed; emarginate.Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture: Smooth;satiny. Color: When opening, upper surface: 84B. When opening, lowersurface: 84C. Fully opened, upper surface: 75A; towards the base, 155D,creating a white-colored center; with development, color becoming closerto 75C to 75D. Fully opened, lower surface: 75C.

Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: About 6.5 to 7 cm. Diameter: Atapex: About 0.5 mm. At flower: About 3 mm. Aspect: Curved. Color: 145Dto 150D.

Peduncles.—Length: About 4.5 to 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture:Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible. Color: 144C.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused at anthers,hooded; filaments free. Anther length: About 6 mm. Anther shape:Obovate. Anther color: 75D to 155D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollencolor: 8D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:About 5 to 6 mm. Stigma color: 18D. Style color: 18D. Ovary:Five-celled. Ovary color: 143C.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens.

Low temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have beenobserved to tolerate night temperatures of 5° C. with 10° C. daytemperatures.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named ‘Fisnics Lilav’, as illustrated and described.